Magnetic locating device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a device for locating a nail plate or the like on the flat, magnetic platen of clamping apparatus. The clamping apparatus has a pair of movable platens which, when actuated, press the nail plate into lumber placed between the platens. The locating device includes a generally flat first leg portion and generally flat second leg portion joined together to define between inner edges of the leg portions an angle corresponding to the corner angle of the nail plate. Thus, during locating of the plate, the corner of the plate abuts both inner edges of the leg portions. This locating device is characterized by magnets attached near an outer edge of one of the leg portions. These magnets hold the locating device on one of the platens of the clamping apparatus. The thickness of the magnets is less than the thickness of the lumber into which the nail plate is being pressed. Consequently the magnets do not interfere with the operation of the clamping apparatus.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,837,274 Zaccard 1 Sept. 24, 1974MAGNETIC LOCATING DEVICE [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Edward F. Zaccard,Rt. 4, R0. Box

Burlington, 53105 Disclosed is a device for locating a nail plate or the22 Filed; Feb 2 1973 like on the flat, magnetic platen of clampingapparatus. The clamping apparatus has a pair of movable [2t] PP 3281904platens which, when actuated, press the nail plate into lumber placedbetween the platens. The locating de- 52 US. Cl 100/35, 29/200 J,100/010. 13, Vice includes a generally flat first leg Portion and g 227152 2 9 3 5 erally flat second leg portion joined together to define 51Int. Cl B30b 13/00, 83% 1/08 between inner edgeS 9f the leg pertiehsehangle [58] Field of Search.... 144/309 L; 100/35, DIG. 13; responding tothe corner angle of the hall plate Thus, 227/152; 269/315, 321 F; 29/200P, 200 J during locating of the plate, the comer of the plate abuts bothinner edges of the leg portions. This locat- [5 R f r Cited ing deviceis characterized by magnets attached near UNITED STATES PATENTS an outeredge of one of the leg portions. These magnets hold the locating deviceon one of the platens of gg zg fi' g the clamping apparatus. Thethickness of the magnets 2 890 729 6/1959 Horn..:::::::::::::::::::::11: 269/315 is tees the thtekhese of the hhhhet into which the3:207:406 9/1965 Bowman 227/152 Plate is being Pressed Consequently themagnets 3,232,603 2/1966 Gaither et a1 269/315 do not interfere with theOperation of the Clamping P- 3,379,354 4/1968 Moehlenpah et al. 227/152p 3,402,869 9/1968 Otis 227/152 Primary Examiner-Billy J. WilhiteAttorney, Agent, or Firm-John J. Connors 2 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresMHZIIZ PAIiNIEB stream 1. MAGNETIC LOCATING DEVICE BACKGROUND In theconstruction industry it is conventional to prefabricate trussesorsimilar building components. The pieces of lumber are joined together bymeans of nail plates which are automatically pressed into the lumber byclamping apparatus. Such apparatus includes upper and lower horizontalplatens which move towards each other when the apparatus is actuated.The pieces of THE INVENTION I have now invented a convenient and simplemethod and device for locating an item such as a nail plate on amagnetic surface such as the platen of the clamping apparatus. Broadly,my device comprises a pair of generally flat leg portions joined at acommon point to define an angle corresponding to a corner of the itembeing located. Magnets attached to one of the legs hold the device onthe flat magnetic surface in a manner enabling an operator to easilymove the device to different positions on the magnetic surface. Mydevice and the preferred manner of using it are shown inthe'accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS FIG. is a plan. view of my locating device. FIG. 6 is an endview of my locating device taken along line 66 ofFIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3,conventional clamp- The number of lumber pieces and location of suchpieces depends on the particular truss configuration desired.Positioning guides (not shown) hold the pieces of lumber in a fixedposition in space so that abutting pieces of lumber are in the sameplane. Nail plates 24a and 24b are used to nail lumber pieces a and 20btogether. Each of these plates 24a and 24b include flat bases 26a and26b, respectively, having plurality of spikes 28 bristling from thebases. Spikes 28 all point towards lumber pieces 20a and 20b. As shownin FIG. 2, plate 24a is placed on top of the abutting lumber pieces 20aand 20b and located relative to the lumber pieces so that it overlapsboth pieces 20a and 20b. In accordance with my invention nail plate 24bis placed on the lower platen l4 and located on this platen by means ofmy locating device 30.

FIGS. 4 through 6 show my locating device 30 in greater detail. Thisdevice 30 includes a pair of flat leg portions 32 and 34 which are aboutthe same thickness or slightly less than the thickness of base 26b ofplate 24b. Each leg portion has free ends 32a and 34a, re-

spectively. The opposite ends of these leg portions are joined togetherat junction 36. This leg configuration defines angle A which is equal toangle B of corner 25 of nail plate 24b. Ordinarily, this corner angle Bis about 90. Inner edges 38 and 40, respectively of leg portions 32 and34, serve as stops for plate 24b when an operator moves nail plate 24binto abutting relation with locating device 30 as shown in .FIG. 4.Preferably leg portion '34 is longer and wider than leg portion 32.

Integral with longer leg 34 and near the outer edge of leg 34 is araised, curved element defining a channel 39. Magnets 41 are eitherglued, bolted, taped or otherwise held in channel 39. These magnets 41have a generally rectangular cross section and are of such size anddimensions so that they fit snugly in channel 39, with the outer flatsurfaces 43 of the magnets being in the same general plane as flat legportion 34. The height dimensions of channel 39 and magnets 41 is lessthan the thickness of the lumber. Thus, magnets 41 and/or channel 39will not interfere with closure of platens l2 and 14. Moreover, sinceleg portions 32 and 34 are the same thickness or less than the thicknessof base 26b of plate 24b, spikes 28 are completely driven into thelumber with closure of platens 12 and 14. These features areillustratedin FIG. 3.

To practice my method of locating nail plate 24b on platen 14, anoperator places locating device 30 on platen 14 with raised channel 39holding magnets 41 parallel to edge 21 of lumber piece 20a. The positionof locating device 30 on platen 14 is controlled by the ing apparatus 10includes upper movable platen 12 and 7 so that it can be displacedlaterally towards and away from pieces 20a and 20b of abutting lumber.Stops (not shown) limit the lateral movement of clamping apparatus 10.

In accordance with conventional practice, several pieces of lumber arepositioned with respect to each other to form a truss configurationasshown in FIG. 1.

size of lumber pieces 20a and 20b and the truss configuration. Theoperator then places nail plate 24b on platen l4 and carefully moves theplate into contact with'device 30 so corner 25 of plate 24b abuts inneredges 38 and 40 of leg portions 32 and 34. Clamping apparatus 10 ismoved laterally toward lumber pieces 20a and 20b, with platen 12 and 14being initially in an open position. When the lumber pieces 20a and 20bare between platens 12 and 14, the platens moved together to a closedposition pressing nail plates 24b and 24a into lumber pieces 20a and20b. Locating'device 30 is placed on lower platen 14 so that nail plate24b on lower platen 14 will overlapthe lumber pieces 20a and 20b. Whenthe nail plates 24a and 24b are driven into the lumber, the platens 12and 14 separate, moving to an open position. Clamping apparatus thenmoves away from the truss formed by the lumber pieces.

One of the chief advantages of my method and device for locating nailplate 24b on platen 14 of clamping apparatus 10 is that location of thenail plate can be readily changed. Changing location of nail plate 24bon platenl4 is frequently called for during the manufacture of trussesas different truss configurations are made. Previously, adhesive tapewas placed on lower platen l4 and used as locating means for nail plate24b. it was a time consuming and expensive operation to manually placeand remove such tapes on the lowerplaten. My invention eliminates thisproblem, thereby conserving time and improving operator productivity inthe manufacture of trusses.

I claim:

1. in a process for joining pieces of lumber together by abutting thepieces so that they are in about the same plane, positioning said piecesbetween upper and lower horizontal platens of clamping apparatus which,when actuated, moves the platens together, and placing a nail plate orthe like on the lower platen so that when the platens are moved towardeach other the plate is driven into both pieces of lumbersimultaneously, the improvement comprising (a) locating the plate on thelower platen by setting on the lower platen a device having a generallyflat first leg portion and a generally flat second leg portion joinedtogether to define between inner edges of said leg portions an anglecorresponding to a corner angle of the nail plate, and magnet meansattached to one of said leg portions for holding the locating device onthe lower platens, said magnet means having a thickness less than thethickness of the lumber into which the plate is being pressed, and (b)abutting the nail plate against the inner edges of said leg portions sothat said nail plate is held in the proper position with respect to thelumber pieces so that it will be driven into abutting pieces of lumbersimultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein theiocating device is positioned onsaid platen means so that the leg portion to which the magnet means isattached is generally parallel to the edge of at least one of the piecesof lumber being joined together.

1. In a process for joining pieces of lumber together by abutting thepieces so that they are in about the same plane, positioning said piecesbetween upper and lower horizontal platens of clamping apparatus which,when actuated, moves the platens together, and placing a nail plate orthe like on the lower platen so that when the platens are moved towardeach other the plate is driven into both pieces of lumbersimultaneously, the improvement comprising (a) locating the plate on thelower platen by setting on the lower platen a device having a generallyflat first leg portion and a generally flat second leg portion joinedtogether to define between inner edges of said leg portions an anglecorresponding to a corner angle of the nail plate, and magnet meansattached to one of said leg portions for holding the locating device onthe lower platens, said magnet means having a thickness less than thethickness of the lumber into which the plate is being pressed, and (b)abutting the nail plate against the inner edges of said leg portions sothat said nail plate is held in the proper position with respect to thelumber pieces so that it will be driven into abutting pieces of lumbersimultaneously.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the locating device ispositioned on said platen means so that the leg portion to which themagnet means is attached is generally parallel to the edge of at leastone of the pieces of lumber being joined together.